Hebrews 11:13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.

During this time of national struggle,  We can become focused on politics,  on the economy, on how we should protect our families,  on our retirement.  All these things are not necessarily evil. They are a part of real life.  But if we see beyond today and see beyond our local surroundings, and even see beyond the next election and look into eternity, we will see a hope that cannot fail.  We will see an unfading promise.  We will see our Savior and our God waiting to embrace us and live in complete bliss for eternity.

What is your focus?

The people listed in Hebrews chapter eleven have all long since died.  Some were delivered from tragedy, and others suffered without relief.  Some are very famous as God used them to protect and lead the nation of Israel; others were unknown and died poor.  The one thing all these people had in common was their focus.   In Hebrews 11:13, it speaks of a people still believing when they died.  Their focus was beyond their time here on earth.  There focus was a reward in heaven. 

Where is your focus?

The American dream is to be comfortable and retire to enjoy life.  God’s Word never promised easy times.  Just because you became a Christian, it does not mean all things become easy and pleasant.  The Bible talks more about overcoming troubles and counting it as joy when you go through trials.  If your focus is based on something eternal,  God will give you strength and grace to endure.  The Hebrew verse states the people identified themselves as a foreigner and stranger on earth.  Their focus and identity were on heavenly citizenship.  Their kingdom was not of this earth. By faith, they saw and welcomed their promise from a distance.

Who is your focus? 

(My hope is built on nothing less )Hymn by Edward Mote 1834

Listen to this great hymn and allow your lightnside to proudly shine on a focused promise that is in the future and welcomed from a distance.

How do you go forward in this new world  when you are not sure what to do next? 

The answer  James 1:1-8

The book of James has so much practical advice in living during frustrating times with strong spiritual truths and common sense.  The preamble to the whole chapter is found in the first eight verses.

There are two truths that the remainder book rests on.  First, you will be frustrated and challenged in your mind and heart.  So knowing that understand these struggles will make you a stronger Christian and mature you in ways that a comfortable life would not. You will also be in situations where you do not know what to do next. And to ask God for wisdom to make decisions in a new world environment.

FAITH IN FRUSTRATIONS

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Count it as joy even though it is not joyous.  You can choose to be happy about your situation because God is growing stronger in you.  You will need to control pride, anger, outbursts.  But, aren’t you suppose to do that already?  Maturity only comes through struggle.  

• Why not keep a journal of some kind to help process feelings and to consider your thoughts and prayers each day.
• Know that God is at work in the situation and in you.
• Repent when you fail and learn from the failures and God’s Grace.
• Worship God and His goodness.  His timing and plans are not ours.
• Ask and believe for wisdom.

ASK & BELIEVE FOR WISDOM

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

We are all facing a world that is beyond our experience.  Worry and fear can keep us awake at night, feeling unable to know what to do. Ask for wisdom from God.  The Bible says, “It will be given to you.”  Fact, Truth, Bible!

We have a natural ability to doubt.  We look again at the high walls of Jericho (COVET-19) and want to begin to doubt instead of following God. Believe, not feel.  Believe not hope it might be true.  Believe God is giving you wisdom through the Power of the Holy Spirit.  Rest in that truth.  Don’t waver. Someone who doubts becomes more than useless,  they become unstable,  unreliable,  driven by fear and gossip.  No, my friend…BELIEVE you are receiving wisdom from the Holy Spirit.

Personally,  in the last three years, I have faced each year a strong trial that challenged me greatly.  Before the last three years,  life seemed to move smoothly for several years then…BAM.  Three difficult situations I found myself in.  God took me to James.  I asked for wisdom.  I had to work at believing I was receiving direction from the Holy Spirit.  It was work to believe.  I had to say it out loud, “I BELIEVE YOU ARE GIVING ME WISDOM AND I RECEIVE IT!” As I walked slowly through these three events,  God helped me.  All three events are past, and I can say I have matured in my walk with Christ and my belief in God-given wisdom.

As you are reading this blog,  you will be faced with challenges this year as our nation tried to manage life with the virus.  Be a JAMES 1:1-8 student.  Manage joy in frustrations and faith for wisdom.  You will grow more mature and feel the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, helping you through your situation.  Your lightnside will burn joyfully and wise in the coming days.

“playing the odds is a fragile place to put your hope…There is a better place to stand: a Rock of certainty rather than the sand of probabilities.” John Piper

“I am moved to write because playing the odds is a fragile place to put your hope. Odds like 3 percent versus 10 percent, youth versus old age, compromised health versus no history of disease, rural versus urban, self-isolated versus home meeting with friends. Playing the odds provides little hope. It is not a firm place to stand. There is a better way. There is a better place to stand: a Rock of certainty rather than the sand of probabilities.”

I recommend this book.  It is encouraging, honest, and God centered.  John helps us understand God and His character in a difficult time.  I will share a few small quotes and leave the rest for you to discover in his small but powerful book.

Truth and understanding of God comes from the Bible which is a living book.  Piper states in this book ” The way we come to know the glory of God in Scripture is similar to the way we know that honey is honey… We know that this is honey because we taste it. Similarly, there is a divine sweetness in the glory of God in the message of the Bible. It touches a part of us that we know was put there by God. “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Ps. 119:103). “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!” (Ps. 34:8).

The book is two parts.

The God Who Reigns over the Coronavirus  (5 chapters)

What Is God Doing through the Coronavirus?  (6 chapters)

Much of this book deals with the solid foundation of trusting God and resting in His sovereignty.  This book also points to a world to awaken to it’s need of God and a call to repentance.

This book will challenge you and help you feel secure during our national crisis.  It’s not sugar coated but rather, mercy coated.

You can find this book and a short video from John Piper here.  https://www.desiringgod.org/books/coronavirus-and-christ

Blessing to you and your lightnside.

John 12:24  Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.  

This chapter in John has such a range of emotions.  Starting with the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem.  Such joy, such hope.  It would seem this event is the spark that would bring about the kingdom of Christ as the savior of the world.  But it was instead a final celebration before suffering and death.

Victory through death?  YES

Christ made clear that the triumph He sought was not by His own strength and popularity.  It would be in suffering and dying.  Jesus shared a model for us to follow.  We do not become a more powerful person by asking God to just bless our lives.  By asking Jesus to give us more of what we want in life.  It is rather us dying to our desires and plans to allow something new to birth in our soul and heart.

The hour has come to die then God glorifies

Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified…  ^27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name!” It was not the entry into the city that was triumphal,  it was His death that produced much life.

What you feed grows and what you starve dies.

We can walk around and try to be a good  Christian by our own power.  It will not work.  It is the act of dying to our desires and allowing some issues of our heart like anger, lust,  pride, judgementalism to die so God can birth something holy into our life.  One statement I remember from college is the statement “what you feed grows and what you starve dies.” I will be first to say, God is dealing with me to put to death some of my emotions and desires of my sinful nature that wants to rise up.

The Cross is the path to Resurrection.

Allow the Holy Spirit to identify areas in your life that need to die so that God can birth a resurrection of healing and life.  There will always be tension between our desires and following God.  As we come to the Cross and lay down our heart and desires before God,  His righteousness, and the power of Christ’s death takes that offered seed and produces much fruit.  Are you frustrated in sins and attitudes,  place them on the altar to die.  God will birth the power of His presence and the Holy Spirit to produce more than you could ever be on your own.

Die to God and watch your lightnside burn bright with resurrection power.

 

 

Fasting

Full Fast
Drink only liquids (you establish the number of days).

The Daniel Fast
Eat no meat, no sweets, and no bread. Drink water and juice. Eat fruits and vegetables.

Partial Fast
A partial fast is from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm or from sun up to sundown. You can select from three types of fasting —a Full Fast, Daniel Fast or give up at least one item of food.

Also, you can choose to fast from social media, tv etc.

 

ANOINT YOUR DOOR POSTS – use some kind of oil and ask God to protect your home from the effects this virus.

READ PSALMS 91   Place it on the fridge, mirror, on phone.

 

Join me on this fast to ask God’s help in this Pandemic.

 

Blessings

Dave Rose